Research Administration Specialist/Research Administration Coordinator, School of Social Work

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

4d•$55,000 - $75,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Under the direction of the Director of Budget and Resource Planning, this position manages the research process for a portfolio of principal investigators, encompassing both pre- and post-award tasks. This includes proposal submission, award management, award maintenance, closeout, and resubmission of proposals for future funding. The role also assists with the development, implementation, and training of research administration processes for the School of Social Work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, finance, economics or a field related to the position.
Three (3) years of experience in pre and/or post-award sponsored programs administration within an institution of higher education.
Demonstrated experience with Federal funding agencies.
Illinois Certified Research Administrator (Illini CRA) status.
The ability to organize, manage and complete multiple tasks with multiple deadlines.
Excellent customer service, communication skills, follow-up skills, and computer (Excel) skills.
Ability to complete work within established deadlines.
Knowledge of University policies and procedures related to sponsored project administration, travel, and purchasing.

Nice To Haves

Completion of or current enrollment in the campus SPaRC program.
One (1) year of experience working in a professional office setting.
Masters in Business Administration or related field.
Experience with State of Illinois funding agencies.

Responsibilities

Assist PIs in the research proposal process, including reviewing RFP documentation, developing and reviewing budgets, budget justifications, narratives, current and pending, and other related documentation, as well as the submission process.
Process new research awards, ensuring documentation is finalized for fund establishment and award.
Assist PIs through Post-Award processes, including budget management, revisions, burn rate evaluation, extensions, PI changes, transit recaps, expenditure confirmations, invoicing, subaward management, fund reconciliation, and closeout.
Collaborate with campus Sponsored Programs Administration.
Assist unit Purchasing and Human Resources staff with purchases and appointments, ensuring fund availability and allowability of expenses.
Reconcile expenditures monthly, ensuring proper use of funds, allowability of expense, correct use of account codes, and fund availability. Address outstanding obligations, discrepancies, and other issues.
Request processing of journal vouchers and budget transfers.
Process labor redistributions as needed.
Provide ad hoc reporting.
Provide training to faculty and staff on financial reports, expenditure confirmation system, and grant proposal and maintenance processes.
Collaborate with the Director of Budget and Resource Planning to establish policies, procedures, templates, job aids, and websites related to the grants and contracts process.
Act as Charge Code Review in Emburse.
Act as backup Unit Security Contact on urgent items when the Director of Budget and Resource Planning is out of office.
Review, analyze, and interpret Federal, State, and University policies and procedures, and inform principal investigators of new and changing developments.
Advise principal investigators and collaborators on pre-proposal and proposal development, analyzing and interpreting relevant policies and procedures, forms, clearance requirements, certifications, deadlines, budget limits, and cost sharing requirements.
Develop budgets and budget narratives/justifications with the principal investigator, customizing formats as needed.
Ensure applicable regulations are addressed related to direct and indirect costs, subawards, travel, fringe benefit rates, etc.
Ensure agency/sponsor required forms are completed appropriately.
Collaborate with the School of Social Work Research Office on human subjects requirements and processes.
Prepare proposal records for sponsored project applications and route for electronic signature approvals.
Prepare proposals in required systems and formats specified by the funding agency and route in a timely manner.
Monitor the status of each submitted proposal until it is either awarded, rejected, or withdrawn.
Complete budget or proposal revisions as needed.
Facilitate the review, approval, and award of research contracts, data transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, and subawards.
Act as a liaison between researchers, the campus sponsored programs administration, and agencies/sponsors as needed.
Evaluate award information and facilitate requests for anticipation accounts when applicable.
Collaborate with the PI and the School's Expense Team to establish a financial spreadsheet and discuss award setup needs.
Facilitate the effort certification process by accurately reflecting key personnel voluntary and paid effort commitments in budgets, justification statements, and progress reports.
Review expenditures monthly, checking for appropriateness within budgets, agency/sponsor terms and conditions, applicable rules and regulations, and Federal, State, and University policies and procedures. Assure corrections are made and issues are resolved.
Anticipate and prepare budget revisions, no-cost extensions, and carry out requests as necessary.
Ensure principal investigators are aware of their budgets, meeting with them regularly, and advising regarding rebudgeting as needed.
Provide project and/or portfolio specific ad hoc financial reporting for Principal Investigators.
Ensure that progress reports and final project reports are submitted to funding agencies as required by the agreement.
Continuously monitor awards and reconcile budgets and review those that are within 60 days of closing.
Collaborate with affiliates and staff on grant close-out activities. Resolve problems and pursue adjustments as necessary, ensuring close-out activities have adhered to all applicable rules/regulations.
Assist in the semi-annual expense confirmation process for the School's active grants.
Provides strategic leadership as the subject matter expert in sponsored programs administration within the School, driving process improvements and ensuring alignment with institutional and sponsor requirements.
Develop and maintain documentation for processes for research administration within the School, including evaluating and incorporating best practices.
Identify and implement proactive post-award monitoring.
Regularly review current processes and practices and update procedure documentation accordingly.
Conduct training for other staff, faculty, students, and research collaborators surrounding the School and University’s research administration protocols.
Attend the University’s Sponsored Programs and Research Compliance (SPaRC) events and other research agency webinars to remain an active Illinois Certified Research Administrator and to stay informed on recent trends/issues in research administration.
When requested, represent the School at the campus and unit level meetings including but not limited to Research Administration Advisory Board (RAAB), new faculty orientation.
Create ad hoc financial reports related to grant administration when requested by the Director of Budget and Resource Planning.
Other duties as assigned.